


No 5. Where Do You Think You're Going?

by Smiley5494



Series: Whumptober 2020 [5]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Failed escape, Gen, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), No 5, Uther Finds Out About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26941480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smiley5494/pseuds/Smiley5494
Summary: Merlin is caught doing magic, and as is the law, he is set to burn at dawn.Arthur, Gwen, and Morgana aren't having that.
Series: Whumptober 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965595
Comments: 10
Kudos: 109





	No 5. Where Do You Think You're Going?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt:
> 
> No 5. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?  
> On the Run | **Failed Escape** | Rescue

Morgana stood next to Arthur, both of them holding each other back, as Uther announced that a sorcerer was to burn at dawn. The council seemed as confused as Morgana felt and Arthur seemed, muttering among themselves and delegating the usual tasks.

Gwen appeared by Morgana’s side, and gently touched her sleeve. Morgana turned, facing her maid and ignoring Arthur leaving to get answers out of Uther.

“Who is it?” Morgana asked, fearing the worst.

“I don’t know, my lady,” Gwen replied, glancing over Morgana’s shoulder to check for listeners, “do you want me to bring _it_ down to the cells immediately or do you want to come with?”

Gwen and Morgana had been taking a fast-acting, relatively painless, poison to the prisoners. Offering a quicker and less painful way out. Poison or fire? To most, it was an easy question to answer. Morgana knew it wasn’t much better, but to some, it meant the world. She couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t enough, her dreams were coming true and things were breaking around her. She knew that one day, it would be her taking the poison, her being led to the pyre.

“I’ll come with you,” Morgana decided, “I want to say goodbye to whoever the poor soul is.”

Gwen nodded her acceptance and gave a tight smile. Morgana gave her one last hug before the two split up to do their duties.

* * *

Morgana ran into Arthur a few hours later. She gave him a quick once-over, checking for injury, but he looked just the same as earlier that morning, if not a bit more harried.

“Have you seen Merlin?” He asked her, looking over her shoulder as if that would summon the man, “The idiot’s disappeared, I haven’t seen him since this morning.”

Morgana felt her heart stop. “Since this morning?” She repeated faintly, her mind providing scenarios she didn’t want to entertain. Arthur seemed to realise what she was implying as the blood drained from his face and he mouthed Merlin’s name.

“Come on, Morgana,” he said finally, “he can’t have gotten arrested. We’ll just ask Gaius where he is.”

The two bolted through the halls, scaring several servants and causing more than one guard to jump out of their way. Arthur burst through Gaius’ door, Morgana on his heels.

“Gaius!” Morgana gasped out, and Arthur took a moment to catch his breath. Gaius was there in an instant, making sure they were both alright before moving back to his seat by the fire. Morgana took a look around, noticing the broken glass that hadn’t been cleared, the bowls on the table that still had food in them, the way that Gaius just sat there and made no move to clean any of it up. It painted a picture that Morgana would give anything to be wrong.

“Gaius,” Arthur said, and he too was taking in the room, “please tell me it’s not Merlin that’s set to burn at dawn.”

"Sire, my Lady," Gaius whispered, pained and quiet, holding back tears, "they came for him earlier, said he'd been seen using magic."

"Was he?" Morgana interjected before Arthur could say something else, "do they have proof? Can he still be released?"

Gaius merely stared at them, haunted. Morgana closed her eyes and Arthur hung his head in pain. Morgana could only think about how this would be a friend taken far too soon.

“We’ll let him out, then.” Arthur declared, “help him escape. Would you help, Morgana?”

She glared at him, “I am _going_ to help, Merlin is my friend too.”

There was a pause as the reality of the situation sunk in. Morgana noticed her hands shaking, and she wrapped them in amongst her skirts to hide it. Arthur was twisting his circlet in his hands, around and around and around. 

"It'll have to be at night," he said finally, "after everyone's gone to sleep, I have the keys. You and Gwen—if she's willing—can pack his things and meet us just outside."

Morgana nodded, it was a solid plan, and she knew Gwen would be willing once they'd told her it was Merlin.

* * *

Gwen and Morgana spent the rest of the afternoon packing a bag for Merlin. Gaius had dragged himself out of his chair to help them find everything, Merlin would need. He'd directed them to the loose floorboard and Gwen had packed Merlin's spellbook and the notes Merlin had written. Holding them had made the situation far more real and Morgana kept flinching at every sound. 

Before they knew it, Gaius was ushering them out with the bag for Merlin and Morgana was running for the dungeons. She made it in time to catch Merlin and Arthur just as they disappeared through a hidden doorway.

"Arthur! Merlin!" she hissed, Merlin flinched and turned, bringing his hands up. The spell died on his tongue when he saw that it was only Morgana. She held Merlin's bag out and he took it slinging it over his shoulder. Arthur scanned the area and finding it empty glared at Morgana.

"You were meant to meet us outside! 'Gana, it's easier to sneak _fewer_ people out!"

"I wanted to see Merlin," she said, "I needed to know he was alright."

"Well come on then," Arthur hissed back, "cause we have to get out quick and you'll be spotted leaving."

The three of them crept through the passage, Arthur in front, Morgana at the back and Merlin in the middle, keeping to absolute silence. They burst out the end and lock the gate behind themselves. Morgana lead Arthur and Merlin to where Gwen was waiting and Gwen gives Merlin a huge hug. They stand there for a few minutes before distant shouting could be heard. Merlin flinched and turned, trying to find a place to hide that wouldn't cause anyone else to be incriminated. Morgana pushed Gwen away, ordered her to go lock herself into her house. Merlin hugged Morgana and Arthur goodbye and turned to walk away.

He made it to the road.

There were more shouts and Morgana watched in growing horror as Merlin brought his hands up to defend himself, a glowing shield in front of him. The guards fanned out, swords held at the ready. Merlin was so focused on the ones in front of him that he didn't notice the one creeping up behind him. Morgana opened her mouth to scream and Arthur started running but before either of them could do a single thing, the guard buried his sword deep into Merlin's chest.

The shield flickered and went out.

Arthur ground to a halt and Morgana's scream died in her throat. The guards relaxed, then disappeared into the dark; leaving Merlin's body on the ground.

Morgana followed Arthur and knelt down beside Merlin. Arthur had turned Merlin around and gasped as Merlin took a breath. The sword had gone right into Merlin's chest and out the other side, Morgana knew enough about swords that she knew with a wound like that Merlin wasn't going to survive without a miracle.

"Can't you heal yourself?" Arthur asked, his voice breaking and a few tears falling. Morgana didn't say anything, her own vision was blurred with tears.

"No," Merlin gasped, "Never… never been… good at healing."

"No. No, no, no." Morgana chanted, putting pressure on Merlin's wound. "You aren't dying here. Not now."

"Better… than… burning." Merlin choked out, "'s faster."

Morgana turned away when Merlin's eyes slipped closed, his breathing shallow. Arthur gave him one last hug before Merlin's breathing slowed to a stop. Arthur frantically searched for a pulse, but upon finding none, he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to Merlin's. After a few minutes of pained silence, he drew away and Morgana took his place, pressing a soft kiss to Merlin's forehead.

"We'll give him a burial," she promised, "one fit for a king."

"Yes," Arthur agreed, taking her hand for comfort, "we'll give him one better than even that."

Morgana knew that one day she too would be led to the pyre, but now she knew that once she was, she was taking Uther down with her.


End file.
